Is This Me
by Buffalo
Summary: Chruce XX Chlollie chloe has to face her old demons and save the man she loves
1. Chloe

Disclaimer - I own nothing if I did Chloe would have her own show

Part One

For as long as she could remember Chloe had lived her life for everyone other than herself. So much of her existence had been revolved around Clark Kent that she had completely lost all of the dreams and aspirations that she had had for herself.

There were so many reasons that Chloe had had for doing the disappearing act nearly three years ago, and her wish to have her own life was only one of them.

Thing was in the act of trying to become her own person she had successfully managed to kill any and all mention of Chloe Sullivan. At first it had been about necessity, if she was going to effectively hide from the entire gang of superhero friends that she had accumulated and her up and coming star reporter cousin than she had to disappear completely. At least until they stopped looking which she had hoped would've taken a little less time than it had. She was pretty sure that Oliver still had someone searching.

Oliver of all the people that would never give up the search, she hadn't expected it would be him. Lois had given up first, resolving to be angry with her cousin rather than admit that Chloe had severely hurt her. Clark she somewhat understood, he'd figured out the flying thing than he himself had vanished for a couple years, she supposed he was finally finishing his long awaited training.

But Oliver had not stopped; every where she turned in this new life she'd started there seemed to be another someone from Queen Industries asking questions.

Oliver, though she was now beginning to believe that maybe he had loved her in the end, he never fully grasped her talent, none of them had.

Chloe closed her eyes and inhaled the stench of Gotham city; she'd only ever been to Gotham once. Oliver had had a meeting and it was near the beginning of their little arrangement. He'd nearly begged her to get on that jet with him, and if she had been honest with herself the last thing she had wanted at that time was to be apart from Oliver Queen.

She hadn't wanted to return to Gotham, it was the home of Batman and though she had never met the superhero she'd had her fill of superheroes. Not to mention the latest super hero gossip that he'd joined the league. That could be disastrous for her. In the past 6 years she had effectively managed to steer clear of every single person that had any kind of special ability.

By becoming a ghostwriter she could continue to do what she truly loved, write; without anyone questioning her about who she was or where she came from, they didn't want to know anything about her because then it would be too much like stealing.

She came in she wrote their story and she left. It was that easy and it kept her moving never in the same place twice.

Now she had been hired again, though something about this one just felt different, this person had searched her out, and he'd found her.

Or he'd found Anne Smith. Anne Smith was a quiet woman in her late twenties, she was a ghostwriter always on the move and if desperate she could get you out of any tech problem you had. That was the most that anyone knew about her these days and yet he had managed to track her down.

Chloe wasn't entirely sure why she had chosen that name or in the end made the decision to accept the job. Maybe deep down Chloe was kind of glad that someone had actually found her after all these years. Even if it wasn't the someone she had been hoping for.

Chloe grabbed her duffel and made the dash across Main Street to the hotel her new employer had reserved for her. She'd yet to meet the man, she didn't even know his name and this above all else bothered her the most, these days Chloe didn't do anything without knowing exactly what she was getting herself into. She knew that he must have money and influence, or else he wouldn't have been able to find her and looking at the hotel he'd put her up in only confirmed her suspicion.

"Anne Smith, checking in" the girl behind the desk looked up and Chloe was taken aback by her natural beauty. Violet eyes so piercing she would have though them contacts where it not for the pale blue ring around the iris. Her skin was like fresh cream with only hint of light freckles over the bridge of her nose and under her eyes; on someone else it would have looked childish on this girl it served to make her eyes look that much bigger. Her hair fell in large curls over her shoulders so dark it was like night.

She was every writers fantasy the perfect heroin.

"Welcome to The Grand my name is Luca Dawson we've been waiting for you Miss Smith." She smiled and Chloe was once again captivated unable to hear the warning signal, they had been waiting for her that was never good.

"Mr. Wayne put you up in the penthouse; I would love to stay in the penthouse. So what are you doing for Mr. Wayne? I bet it's something secret. He is a very secretive man."

So Bruce Wayne had hired her, Chloe smirked another billionaire bachelor, just great.

"Isn't he in every single paper here?" didn't seem very secretive to Chloe and Chloe knew more than she should about secrets.

"Yes but none of that stuff is real, if we believed everything the gossip columns told us than we would be overrun by aliens from other planets and every other woman would have slept Bruce Wayne, and as good as I'm sure he is, he isn't that good." Luca winked at Chloe and Chloe nearly laughed, it had been a very long time since she had mindlessly chatted with another girl about boys.

"So you don't believe in Aliens?"Chloe responded and this time both girls really did laugh.

"Here you are," Luca unlocked the set of double doors to the Penthouse suite and shuttered as she walked through. Her duffel hit the floor beside her and she instantly made her way to the floor to ceiling windows. She could see the entire city. It felt so much like watchtower that she wanted to cry.

"Pretty nice hey, there's a small kitchen in the back you can hit the grocery store tomorrow it's just across the street, I'd avoid going out at night even with Batman out there, it's still Gotham and he's only one man. Have a good night Anne," Luca slipped out and closed the doors behind her, Chloe couldn't take her eyes from the view of the city.

This would not do if she was going to keep her own secret.

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	2. Oliver

A/N – First off let me say thanks for the reviews, I haven't uploaded a fic in awhile and it's always so nice to see what other people think of your writing. I'm going to go in a circle so that we can see this story from the three main characters POV, enjoy....

Part 2 – Oliver

When they had started that stupid no rules just for fun little game he should have known things would spin out of control. After all she was Chloe Sullivan men didn't just have flings with Chloe Sullivan. The funny thing was he wasn't a fling type of guy either. Sure he had had a fair few one night stands but if he went into it on a regular basis with a woman he went fully into it. Sure his previous relationships had rarely, correct that they never worked out in the end but it wasn't for lack of trying, and he'd always kind of thought that when that perfect person came along she would understand his need to be the hero. She would not only get the flying off into darkness part of him but she would embrace it and love it as a true piece of who Oliver Queen was.

The irony in all of this was that that was exactly what Chloe had been. Chloe knew and understood absolutely every corner of him, and even with that knowledge she had stuck around, stuck with him.

Until she decided not to stick around

He couldn't really blame her for it, what had he, what had any of them done to prove to her exactly what she meant to them. Sure it was selfish on Chloe's part but it was way past due that she behave a little selfishly.

He could still remember the day that he and Clark had shown up at watchtower to find her things packed. She hadn't taken everything; in fact she had left almost everything all of her work clothing had remained in the closets untouched she hadn't even taken the picture of her and Jimmy that sat on the table beside her bed.

When he saw that photo sitting there he'd collapsed on her bed his head hanging from his shoulders in defeat. He knew then that she was gone forever, if Chloe didn't want to be found, she wouldn't be found.

For the first little while they had searched everywhere, the entire team and Lois too. No one had been willing to give up. Problem was the most qualified member of the team at finding people who didn't want to be found was the very person they were looking for.

All of a sudden there was crime and bad guys to get and finding Chloe just kind of slipped to the back ground.

Lois, who had had a major falling out with Clark, was hurting worse than he had ever seen her before and he knew that Chloe's disappearance had only added to her pain. The reporter gave up on her cousin and poured herself into her work.

Clark finally bid everyone a temporary farewell and did his own vanishing act to finish the training he had barely begun to start. If Lucy hadn't come back to town, hadn't moved in with her big sister Oliver was pretty sure she wouldn't have made it through.

When everyone had come to the same standstill, when they'd all decided to give Chloe her space Oliver just couldn't.

From the moment he'd kissed her over his bow, from the moment he had wrapped his lanky body around her soft curves he had been lost in her and his biggest regret was that he hadn't had the courage to admit it.

In such a short amount of time he had fallen harder for Chloe Sullivan than he had even thought was possible. Their time together had been short and passionate and filled with so many different emotions that he still after six years woke up in a sweat, his arms aching for her warm body. He felt like if he stopped looking if he gave up he would be telling the universe that it was alright for them to give him the greatest person he had ever had and then take that person away.

He wouldn't ever stop looking for her

"Ollie?"

"Yeah," Oliver barely looked up from the screen of his computer as Bart entered the room.

"Ah, I think you're going to want to see this..." Oliver's heart kicked up a bit in hope but when he saw the sneaky grin on Bart's face he knew it wasn't Chloe. If they had found Chloe Bart would be uncontainable with excitement. Bart had stuck with him on the hunt longer than anyone else because as much as they all thought he was joking, the kid really did love Chloe, he may not have been in love with her the same way Oliver was but he did love her.

"What is it?" He wasn't amused; he wondered what the hell the team had gotten up to now.

"Just come here, you won't believe me if you don't see it for yourself." Oliver quirked an eyebrow and Bart waved him toward the communal meeting area of the Justice League. They had retired watchtower nearly the second that Chloe had gone. Oliver had purchased a penthouse suite in Star City and had the thing gutted and re-designed.

Oliver pulled himself from behind his desk and followed Bart through the double doors of his office. He walked into the room and the first thing he noticed was Bruce in full getup leaning against the bar, everyone else was equally costumed though masks had been discarded for lack of necessity. They were all huddled around a figure in the center of the room and he could hear Dinah's laughter above everything else.

"Look at this Boss, boy scout's finally joining the club." AC laughed when he noticed Oliver enter the room.

When Clark's eyes met Oliver's both men went soaring back to their last encounter. They had just beaten the shit out of each other, though Oliver looked rather worse for wear, both men were pissed at the other. Oliver had told Clark that he was the reason Chloe had left, after everything she had done for him, to protect his secret. And Clark had blamed Oliver, treating Chloe like she was just another of the woman he toyed with. If only those two men had understood how deeply they had hurt each other.

"Nice outfit," Oliver nodded to the red and blue tights, "My mom made it for me," Clark nearly winced not embarrassed at all about the costume but uncomfortable about the way everyone was watching them.

Over the low murmur of people he heard Bruce ask Dinah what the stare down was about but he missed her answer as Clark spoke up again.

"Look I can't make the league my priority right now, but I'm here if you guys need me."

"So you're headed back to Metropolis"

"I have unfinished business there, I want my life back."

"Don't we all" Oliver muttered under his breath and then Bart cleared his throat, "Does this mean we can stop by Mama Kent's I haven't had a home cooked meal in ages"

"I'm sure she'd love to see you Bart, look I've got to go, I just wanted to let you know I'm back" the men nodded at each other.

"Who the hell is watchtower?" he heard someone ask and Oliver took a deep breath before returning to his office.

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	3. Bruce

A/N - Here goes number three hope you like

Part 3 – Bruce

Bruce Wayne was by far the most private person in the league. He wasn't the newest member technically that was Clark Kent – Superman; but if you went really technical then some could have said that Clark if not his alter ego was a founding member, he'd heard someone mention that he used to masquerade as the Blur. Bruce could just barely remember the whispers he had heard about Metropolis' Blur.

Because he was so private he felt he owed the same respect to the other members, he very rarely if ever asked questions; but the palpable tension in the air the moment Oliver had walked into the room was enough to make even Bruce wonder.

Dinah had been very cautious with her explanation, which surprised him because Dinah loved to discuss the other members. If Bruce was reading her correctly which he was sure he was, this was not a topic that was easy on any of them.

"A while back we had a kind of co-leader, she was a friend of Clark's from childhood and the only person on the planet trustworthy enough to lead us she was the only member of the league that didn't have powers. We all loved her," Bruce was taken aback at the emotion in Dinah's eyes.

"But Oliver, he really loved her..." he couldn't have explained why he'd said it but he was amazed that there was such an integral part of the team that he knew nothing about.

"I think so, none of us even knew they had a thing going until she took off and Oliver went crazy looking for her." Bruce was again shocked, she was alive he'd assumed that she had been killed or died in action the thought that this woman had managed to disappear from a group of the world's most powerful superheroes left him more impressed than he cared to admit.

"What did she do for you guys?" there he went again, more delving.

"Oh you know she organized missions, hacked files, led us through mazes, brought us together when he were all scattered everywhere she took care of us, watched over us; she was our watchtower." Bruce could now see an extreme amount of guilt splashed across Dinah's face and he wondered how long it had taken for her to stop searching for the missing watchtower.

"Who the hell is watchtower?" one of the younger kids who'd been half eavesdropping on the main show and half on Dinah and Bruce's conversation chirped up and the room went silent.

Bruce took the moment to scan the room he saw a mixture of pained and confused faces until his eyes fell on those of Oliver Queen. That man had not stopped looking for this watchtower and Bruce was pretty sure he never would.

****

"Really, that is quite interesting." Alfred took the utility belt that Bruce had handed him and then passed the hero his dress shirt.

"It is isn't it, a member of the Justice league with no powers at all, I can't imagine trusting anyone that way; I mean other than you Alfred," Bruce couldn't stop thinking about the mystery woman. After the awkward departure of their leader he had descended upon Gotham to do as much good as he could in a city with constant evil.

"Not having powers doesn't mean you aren't powerful" Bruce smiled at his only remaining family the man he relied completely on.

"I'm beat Alfred, I'm going to go and grab a couple hours of shut eye." Bruce began to walk away from the older man when Alfred's crisp voice stopped him.

"I'm afraid you have a meeting with Ms Anne Smith this morning sir and after the trouble you went to to have her write for you I think it would be best that you not miss your first appointment."

"Damn it, I had completely forgotten. What time is it?"

"Quarter to ten sir,"

"Damn it, I said I would meet her in the lobby at ten didn't I?'

"You did," Bruce grabbed his black leather jacket and threw it over the grey t-shirt he had put on earlier. He examined his reflection quickly and with a quick finger brush through his hair he deemed himself fit. Sure his eye lids hung a bit from tiredness but what could you expect besides he had a reputation to uphold and a sleepy eyed Bruce Wayne was what the people of Gotham had come to anticipate.

He wasn't sure what he had been expecting in Anne Smith but he hadn't expected the tiny blond woman with the head of messy blond curls and hazel eyes that truly lived up to their color. She was talking to an equally stunning girl at the counter; this girl however, was the complete opposite of Anne with dark hair and eyes.

"Mr. Wayne," the dark eyed girl flashed a nervous smile at him and then Anne turned in his direction as well. When she turned he received a much better view of the woman that would be writing his book, she was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans that hugged her hips perfectly. A white t-shirt just barely grazed the top of her jeans and accentuated her tiny waist and made her breasts look slightly larger than they actually were. A dark navy cardigan fell loosely at her sides but he noticed that she wrapped the ends around her almost cautiously as she turned to him. Her hair which he'd noticed right away was even more beautiful now that he'd had a chance to properly examine it. She was no Anne Smith that was clear; it seemed this woman had something to hide.

"Ms Smith, I am so glad you found your way alright, I hope you slept well," he slammed on the charm as he held out his hand for Anne.

"Good Morning Mr. Wayne I slept fine thank you though it doesn't look as though you got much sleep yourself last night," the girl at the counter gasped at the audacity and then attempted to hide her smile. Bruce simply flashed her one of his sideways grins and took note of the sparkle in Anne's eyes when she was verbally clever.

"Shall we, I thought we could work up in the penthouse," he indicated to the elevators.

"I meant to speak to you about that, while I appreciate the beautiful room, I was hoping to move to a more moderate accommodation, you see I'd rather not work were I sleep and I'd be wasting all that the penthouse suite has to offer." Bruce was taken aback once again, this was not your typical woman, and she wasn't fazed by either his money or his power. He instantly wondered how she would react to Batman something told him that this woman wouldn't even blink.

"I can switch your room no problem," the girl behind the counter spoke up and Bruce nodded in her direction.

"I just want you to be comfortable Ms Smith,"

"You can call me Anne, should we head to a coffee shop? Or do you have an office we could set up in. That may be a bit more private." She instantly took control and he desperately wanted it back how had she managed to take away one of his largest qualities in their first five minutes together.

"Sure, uh come with me" he began to walk her out the doors and she grabbed her bag calling back to the girl at the counter.

"I'll see you later Luca, thanks for everything"

They walked out the doors and turned down Main Street, his mind once again wandered to watchtower and he attempted to shake her from his mind. Here was with an absolutely stunning woman and he couldn't stop thinking about a girl he had never even met.

"So have you ever been to Gotham before?" he asked but he realized she had stopped following when he turned around; he saw her parked at a newsstand the Gotham Gazette clutched in her fingers.

"Yes!" She cried out, her face was split into a huge grin and her eyes had tears in them. She flipped the paper so she could see the entire photo and her grin turned into the most contagious laugh, even the man at the stand was smiling.

"Yes, yes yes, yes yes!" she cried again and again as she jumped up and down. Part of Bruce was so happy just watching her and part of him was dying with curiosity. He walked up to the stand just as she was paying for the paper. She looked up at him and there was pure elation written on her face.

"What's all this about?" he looked down at the article and a nagging feeling hit him smack in the gut. There on the cover of the paper was the League's new member. It seemed Superman had made his debut in metropolis by saving a bus full of school children. He wasn't sure why it bothered him but her excitement about Superman just didn't sit well.

"Sorry I uh, I did some research on superheroes for a past client..." he knew she was lying but he put it aside preferring instead to change the topic.

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	4. Chruce

Chloe

Chloe for the life of her could not get Clark out of her head. She was desperately trying to listen to Bruce but her mind kept flashing through her childhood. She kept replaying moments in their past were she had known for certain that he was meant for greatness and here he was fully embracing his powers. Superman! What an absolutely perfect name for him, way better than boy-scout.

"Anne? Are you alright?" Bruce interrupted her thoughts, they had made their way to Wayne Enterprises and after he had had a security tag made for her they had found an empty office near his own and labeled it their work space, for the time being anyway. They'd parked themselves onto the small sofa in the room and distractedly Chloe had attempted to listen to him as he let her know how he wanted to go about the book.

"I'm fine, sorry."

"Would you prefer to continue this some other time?" He asked and if she had been as involved in her wonderings as she'd been previously she would have missed the disappointment in his voice.

"No, I'm sorry it's just been awhile since I've been in such a big city I feel a little out of sorts." She lied and she found herself feeling guilty. Bruce Wayne was nothing like what they printed. Even his looks were vastly underrated. He was probably the most beautiful man she had ever looked at. Clark was handsome but even as he had matured he'd always had somewhat of a boyish face. And Oliver was so good looking you was almost afraid to touch him, Jimmy had been cute.

Bruce Wayne was an entirely different type of beautiful he was almost rugged in his looks like he'd spent many years sleeping on a hard ground and living in the wilderness. Sure he dressed beautifully now but she was willing to bet that the man had had a few rough years. His hands were rough like Ollie's had been but were Ollie's hands were rough and calloused from the bow he was tender in his ministrations and you almost didn't notice. Chloe was willing to bet that Bruce Wayne would make you feel every inch of his calloused hands; he would be hard and strong. He was a man that would always be in control.

"Have you ever been to Gotham City?" he asked and Chloe flying back to that one trip she had taken with Oliver 6 years ago, she'd been to Gotham but she hadn't seen more than the inside of Ollie's hotel room, did that count?

"Technically yes, but we didn't do much site seeing" she knew she was blushing but she couldn't stop. Bruce smiled at her and she wondered if it was obvious that her thoughts had drifted to the naughty.

"Would you like to?" he asked

"Huh?"

"Would you like to do some site seeing? I've grown up in this city and though it may not have the best reputation I would love to show you its more attractive side." The question was up in the air and as much as she wanted to say yes, to spend the day in the company of anyone other than herself was a nice treat these days but she was pretty sure spending it with Bruce Wayne would be even better. But this was strictly against her rules, no getting attached to anyone or any place that caused problems and she was desperately trying to avoid problems in her new life.

"Come on Anne you look like you need a little fun and it's a beautiful day out"

"Alright, I'm in but tomorrow we need to start working." She gave him her serious eye and instead of heading the warning like people usually did, he laughed and handed helped her into her jacket.

It was surprisingly easy for her to talk to Bruce. She found him incredibly open considering everything about him she'd read in the local papers. They had driven down to Gotham's City Park and she was surprised to see how much it had to offer, if Batman could really clean up some of the crime the place could be stunning.

"I've always loved this park, when I was a kid my parents used to take me down here and my mom would set up a big picnic blanket she'd have all these fresh fruits and cheeses and wine for her and my dad then my dad and I would go explore the caves by the river." Bruce smiled at the memory, and Chloe's heart kicked up a beat again.

"It sounds like they were great,"

"What about your family? Do you have any brothers and sisters?"He looked down at her and she only questioned whether to answer him truthfully for a second before she was spilling about her childhood.

"No brothers or sisters, my mom got sick when I was a kid and my dad had to have her placed in a hospital. It was just me and him most of the time. To be honest I was kind of a Nancy Drew growing up, I spent more time with a notepad and pencil than I did with friends, other than Pete and …" she stopped herself before mentioning his name. It didn't matter that she doubted he knew Clark Kent but she had already overacted to Superman and she didn't need any more dots in place to be connected.

"And…"

"Lana," she finished, her and Lana had been good friends she wasn't technically lying to him just omitting one key person. He nodded and she knew that he had figured out she wasn't being completely honest.

"Come with me," he grabbed her hand and she jumped a little at the warmth but she didn't pull back. He tugged her forward and she followed him.

Bruce

She was trying not to but she was lying to him and for some reason it just didn't bother him.

"Where are we going?"

"Just trust me," he was beginning to love the way this woman made him feel. It had been a very long time since he had been with a woman and not felt the pressure to live up to some kind of idea she had of him. He felt refreshed and happy and for once it wasn't because of Rachel.

"I find it hard to trust people I hardly know." She had just barely whispered it but it was the first thing she'd said that made him stop and question the woman beside him, it was the first really real thing he had heard her say.

"So do I but you can trust me." What the hell was a woman like Anne doing wondering the planet alone, as a ghost writer? He was so unbelievably curious about her.

***

He'd been tracking her for longer than she had been missing; but the missing part had made him a bit more frantic even though he would never have admitted it.

Chloe Sullivan; the girl had been disrupting his plans and ruining everything longer than she had been playing watchtower. He knew the girl had quit her job as mother goose to the world's superheroes and yet he still wanted her. He wanted her more than anything else in this world. He wanted to take everything she loved every person she had ever held any kind feeling for and watch as they turned on her.

Finally, after six years of watching her walk around as someone other than who she was, of watching her live a life that he could never claim as her own. There was nothing he could do to make her world any worse than it already was.

Watching until finally he had seen what he needed...

He had watched Bruce Wayne grab hold of her hand, he'd watched like he had done for so many years now as her cheeks turned pink at the touch, and he knew finally he would get his chance.

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	5. Surprise

A/N – Thanks for the great reviews, I'm glad that people are starting to question things it makes writing so much more fun. I hope people are still enjoying this fic, I love writing stories where I can just go wherever I want and this is that kind of fic for me one minute I think I'm going in one direction and the next minute another. Sorry if that bothers any of you, but it's all just for fun…

Chloe

Chloe looked up at the calendar on Bruce's desk and sighed; she had had been in Gotham for over a month and her and Bruce had spent more of their time flirting around the issue that they were both into each other than actually working on the book for his parents.

She had been surprised when he'd first mentioned the idea for the book. Most people hired her to tell their own story, and to make sure that it sounded as much like them telling it as possible. Bruce had hired her to tell his parents story and though he planned on putting his name on the book, he didn't really care how she wrote it just that it remained true to his parents.

At the moment she was knee deep in Gotham's Archives reading newspapers clippings from twenty years ago. She was so accustomed to having to search out any tiny clue about the people she was writing about, but the Wayne's were well the Wayne's and they had been involved directly or indirectly with nearly every aspect or Gotham city over the years. This was a case of too much information.

She flipped a page in the book that she was currently reading and the smiling face of a nine year old Bruce Wayne looked up at her.

Bruce had been the biggest surprise to her, she saw him nearly every day and the more time that they spent together the more time she wanted to spend with him.

Bruce had shown her nearly every hidden gem in Gotham city, from the aquarium where she had gotten to play with penguins due to Mr. Wayne generosity over the years; to dinner at the cities rotating restaurant in the heart of downtown. He had been lavishing her not with pretty trinkets but with his time and knowledge and she couldn't remember the last time someone had been so open with her.

And even though their days and evenings always ended with him wrapping is arms around her and holding her tightly against him, he had yet to kiss her and she was starting to become incredible frustrated. She knew he had feelings for her, she knew because more often than not he would grab hold of her hand as they walked, his thumb casually stroking hers and when they walked into a restaurant or got out of his car, he never failed to let his hand linger on her lower back. Even though it went against her better judgment, getting involved was never a part of her plans she couldn't help anticipating the moment that he would throw caution to the wind and just throw her against a wall or back her into a corner because she had no doubt in her mind that when he did kiss her it wouldn't be some chaste sweet little kiss. When Bruce Wayne decided to kiss her it would be passionate and hard and unforgettable.

Her eyes drifted over the photo again and she noticed the date at the bottom of the picture. One week exactly from the day that his parents would be murdered. Her heart broke for the boy in picture and swelled for the man she had come to know. He had triumphed when so many like him had fallen into darkness. Sure he had stumbled along the way but who didn't.

She slammed the book shut and opened another one ten years later, and more articles though considerably less of them surfaced. Though now they spoke of the elusive Master Wayne. Her eyes fell over another photo of Bruce; he was dressed to the nines and stumbling out of a local restaurant two beautiful women draped over either arm. The article read "Bruce Wayne Home at Last" she went on to read the article and though she had known he had taken off for a couple of years to "find himself" she hadn't realized he'd been away for so long.. She marked down the date of his return and flipped the page again. This time she saw another article, a photo of Batman cloaked in darkness on took up nearly the entire page, and the article was about the mystery vigilante that had begun helping the helpless. It was a pretty typical superhero article though there were no quotes from the masked hero. Unlike many of the heroes she had dealt with in the past Batman spoke to no one.

She had yet to meet the vigilante, though she had spotted him several times hovering above buildings as she walked home in the evenings. Anyone other than Chloe probably wouldn't have even realized he was there but Chloe understood the importance of heading the tingle that ran up your spine when out and about in the dead of night. She also knew that when something moved in the shadows it was not just her imagination.

She had only briefly wondered why he chose to follow her of all people until she saw the date that the news article had been printed. Two weeks after Bruce Wayne's infamous return.

Instantly her mind began to spin, his late nights the and even later mornings, the fact that she had yet to step a foot in his home. The calluses on his hands and the bruises that littered his body, he tried to hide them but she would watch him wince in pain when she thought he wasn't looking. He was big, bigger than most men and solitary, he fit the bill perfectly.

She wanted to be sick.

Her stomach rumbled and she looked down at her watch it was nearly time for lunch, he would be meeting her any minute. The fight or flight urge caught her and she just barely escaped the archives, slipping out the side door as she saw him park his car and climb out.

The wind caught his scarf and she couldn't help pausing to watch him walk to the building, everything about him screamed hidden superhero and she kicked herself for not noticing it sooner.

"Anne!" a tear broke free when he caught her staring at him. He closed the door to the city building and hoped down the steps, she knew she should turn away, get away from him, from this place but there was something in the way that he was staring at her the locked her feet firmly to the ground.

"What's wrong? I thought we were going to work on the book, don't tell me your done already, it can't be that late" he flashed her a smile and she melted, did it really matter that he was Batman? Could she even be positive he was? Deep down she knew that he was. She looked up at him, into those dark eyes and her stomach tightened. Part of her knew that she was already in love with him and the other part of her was adamantly refusing it.

"Anne?" he questioned again and she wanted to scream that her name was Chloe, not Anne.

"It's nothing" she forced a smile. She shook her head trying to rid it of all thought, when his hands grabbed hold of her shoulders and he pulled her into him. Their lips were inches apart and suddenly none of the hero stuff mattered all she could think was finally.

His lips touched hers with such confidence that she didn't question when he slipped his tongue inside. His hands fell to her waist hugging her even closer. It took every part of her to just remain lucid. Her hands left the stacks of papers they had been clutching and cupped his cheek bringing him closer if that was even possible.

He tasted like mint and she could smell the kind musty scent that she had grown to love as his lips left hers and he nuzzled her neck. Thoughts that he may be in the league that he could know Oliver or Clark wouldn't cross her mind until she was lying in bed that night reliving every detail over and over again.

The panic wouldn't set in until the next day right now she refused to let the panic take root, right now she just wanted to be standing outside the archive hall kissing Bruce Wayne.

Please Review….


	6. AlfredLuca

A/N – All of you who've been reading and reviewing thank you so much, I love hearing were you think the story may be going or where you'd like it to go!

Alfred

Alfred had been a part of the Wayne household for longer than he could remember, he had watched Master Wayne as a child, seen him live through his parents murder, been there as he struggled with who he was without them. He had stood by Bruce Wayne through the best and the worst moments of his life. When the master had come home and began his work as Batman, Alfred had helped him conceal the secret, and when Miss Rachel had been killed he had not left his masters side. He was, if he dared call himself that, the closest thing to family that existed for Bruce Wayne.

So when the mysterious young ghost writer had stolen the Masters a heart, a heart Alfred had been sure would be safely guarded until the end of his days, he felt more than a little cautious. Who was this young woman that seemed to know Bruce so well after only knowing him for a month?

He trusted Master Wayne emphatically, but never having met the girl he felt someone needed to keep a level head about the affair. It wasn't until Master Bruce finally brought her home that Alfred realized just how serious Bruce had become about the whole thing.

Chloe

The front doors swung open and Bruce very nearly dragged her inside, his lips crashing down on hers as he backed her into the front wall.

"Bruce," she gasped and then giggled at his urgency. She managed to unhook herself from him Alfred entered the room.

"What?" he asked still not noticing the older man, Chloe nodded behind them and he turned around, his face actually taking in a look of embarrassment and right away she knew he held this man in high regard.

"Master Wayne," he bowed and she could see him checking her out, no doubt seeing who the woman that had stormed into Bruce's life was. She wondered then if he knew Bruce's secret, was this elderly man privy to Batman.

"Alfred, I want you to meet Anne Smith, Anne this is Alfred he is my only remaining family and the reason this house is still standing." Bruce pulled her forward and Chloe held out her hand, for some reason she felt more a fraud now than she had in the past six years. Every time he called her Anne she wanted to cringe.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but I require your assistance with an issue on the new vehicle." The way he skated around the actual issue gave her the answer to her previous question, Alfred was absolutely privy to Bruce's alter ego, and the knowledge made her face split into a large grin, she knew what working alone with a secret like his could do to a person and knowing that he had Alfred lifted a weight she hadn't realized she had been carrying from her shoulders.

"What are you smiling about?" Bruce asked and she noticed that both men were regarding her curiously

"Nothing, I should get going though, I'm meeting Luca for coffee, It was a pleasure to meet you Alfred," Chloe held out her hand and he seemed to hesitate before taking it, like he knew she wasn't who she said she was.

"I'll call you later," he bent down and placed a firm kiss on her lips, she could feel her body involuntarily moving closer to him, but all too soon the kiss was over and she was slipping out the front door.

Alfred

She was lying about who she was, and the look on her face as he'd mentioned the problem with the bat mobile had had left him wondering if she'd grasped more of his meaning than he had wanted her to. But the look on her face as Master Bruce had kissed her and the way she had been almost reluctant to let go of his hand also told him that she was as much in love with his Master as Bruce was with her.

Chloe

Chloe was buzzing with excitement as she slid into the booth across from Luca; she pulled a French fry from the girl's plate and popped it into her mouth.

"Oh my god, he finally kissed you didn't he?" Luca giggled at Chloe and Chloe simply responded with a wink. Over the last month Luca had become the closest thing to a girlfriend that Chloe had had since she had disappeared. There was something about Luca that reminded her of Dinah and the friends she had had back in Metropolis.

With Luca she once again had someone to talk to about all the little things that were bothering her or the moments that made her feel when she hadn't truly felt in so long. Of course she hadn't shared her true reasons for being in Gotham and so far Luca had yet to ask. Chloe got the sense that Luca was like her, the girl didn't have any family or friends, not in Gotham anyway, and she hadn't been brace enough to ask where she came from, that could only lead to reciprocal questions which she avoided at all costs.

However she did watch Luca, more than she would have if the girl hadn't woven her way so tightly into Chloe's life. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer and though the saying was well used and slightly cliché it fit the bill and though she didn't necessarily believe Luca was her enemy she wasn't just some pretty girl who worked in a hotel lobby, Luca had secrets and Chloe was beginning to think that they might rival her own.

"He did, and I was right" regardless of the fact that she knew Luca was keeping things from her Chloe could not begrudge the friendship that they had begun. It would have been hypocritical on her part to judge Luca for the secrets she kept.

"You're kidding I totally thought that he was hard on the outside and soft where it counted."

"Hey, watch it…I've had had soft and soft is nice but this was in a league all of its own," Chloe laughed and munched on another fry from Luca's plate.

"Has he taken you to the house yet?"

"Briefly, but I was running late to meet you, so I bailed." Luca's mouth fell open at her admission.

"Are you kidding me? You bailed on a tour of Wayne Manor to meet me for French fries and stale coffee; I can't believe I'm your friend." Luca feigned shock and Chloe laughed. She didn't know whether it was Gotham or Chloe was just tired of living like a shadow but she hadn't felt this happy since Oliver had pushed her up against the walls of watchtower. Oliver, the first man to ever look at her as the strong person that she was, he had believed in her abilities when most everyone else had simply used them.

Instantly her mind began to compare the two men, and she wondered who would win out should Oliver find her. Did she still love him, could you still love someone you hadn't seen or spoken to in six years? When her mind fluttered back to way those piercing brown eyes could read right down to her soul she knew that she could easily still love him. The thought terrified her.

Luca

Luca slammed the door of her dirty apartment closed behind her. Pushing the lock down to make it fit; when she turned around she saw the meager means she had become accustomed to over the past couple of months. Her heart hammered in her chest as she set the keys down and approached the figure that was leaning against her window.

He didn't say a word as she approached, didn't even bother to look at her, but she knew what he wanted, so she pulled the small recorder out of her purse and handed it to him. His hand was soft as he took it and it made her shiver in disgust,

He pushed himself off the window, setting the empty wine glass on the beaten up kitchen island. On his way out the door he turned to look at her,

"Clean this place up, if someone comes in here and finds all this crap it'll be the end of you," then he was gone and she managed a shaky breath. She hated what he was making her do, Chloe was nice one of the nicest people Luca had ever met and here she was helping him destroy her.

She had heard about Chloe, the girl had been linked to people like her for so long she was almost an urban legend. Luca hadn't been expecting the petite blond, but the moment they had begun their friendship Luca had seen the hidden strength in her and she wished more than anything that she could be as strong. But when it came to the thought of losing her own talents there was nothing that mattered more, not even Chloe Sullivan.

Please, please review.


	7. secrets

A/N – Okay this one is a little for the Chlollie lovers out there, I am one of you but I may or may not be going in that direction in this fic…

Oliver

He couldn't remember the last time he had seen Bruce look so relaxed. He remembered the day that Bruce had reluctantly joined the league and every time he'd seen him from that day on the man had had some major clouds hanging over his head. It almost felt dreamlike to see him seated on the couch in head quarters smiling at Bart's stories of the previous mission which had only gone according to plan by shear will and force. Clark was also seated there and he decided cringed inwardly at the glasses in his hand. No one was in uniform, it wasn't really necessary even though most of the time people sported it just in the off chance that someone recognized them coming and going.

"So how are things going with Lois?" Dinah asked Clark and the man of steel himself cowered at just the name.

"Making you pay for taking off like that isn't she," Dinah tried not to laugh.

"Its worse actually, she doesn't acknowledge me at all. It's like she's pretending that nothing happened between before I left, she doesn't even call me Smallville. She just orders me around tells me I'm messing up her leads and then gets kidnapped or falls from a building you know the normal Lois behavior, with none of the perks." He mumbled the last bit under his breath and Oliver couldn't hide the smile. He should have known that Lois wouldn't let that fall by the waist side.

"Do you love her?" Bruce asked, they all looked up at this because Bruce when did not ask personal questions and more than that he did not get involved in group discussions.

"I'm just saying, if you love her than make her remember you. The longer you let her walk around like what you had wasn't what it was the more you'll really start to lose her."

"Good advice from a Billionaire Bachelor," Dinah joked.

"Not a bachelor anymore but thanks for that Dinah," He winked at her and Oliver was certain that Dinah was about to faint.

"You're kidding, has Batman found his Batwoman?" Bart laughed and Bruce only smiled.

"I cannot believe how phenomenal this woman is, it's like somehow they managed to pack brains, wit, tenacity and fire into the unbelievable body of a 5'2" hazel eyed blond." Bruce shook his head in amazement and everyone grinned, the only one seeming to catch on to the definition of Bruce's ideal woman was Oliver.

"Where the hell did you find that?" Bart cried and everyone but Oliver giggled.

"I hired her a couple months ago as a ghost writer for my parents book and we've hardly got the first paragraph written but I can't stop thinking about her, it's like she's invaded my very core and, and I am dying to tell her about Batman." They were all aghast at this, you didn't tell girls you had only just met about your super hero-ness, and it was against the rules.

"What's her name?" Oliver spat out his head fell into his hands; he didn't think anyone had told him about Chloe. They'd mentioned watchtower, but they had never called her by name, had they? Surely if he knew Bruce would have told them all.

"Anne Smith," he heard the hesitation, his heart plummeted something inside him ignored the fact that the name was different surely she would have changed her name, going into a city like Gotham. But Chloe would avoid large cities she knew better than to go where there were league members. Didn't she? Was it part of her plan? He had spent all of his time chasing leads in small rural towns, towns that were boring and uneventful, could she have been so close for so long.

"She sounds awesome Bruce," Clark patted him on the back; oblivious to what Oliver was sure he had clued in on.

Oliver pulled himself from the group and disappeared into his office, he opened his computer and in the search engine typed the words "Bruce Wayne + Anne Smith" instantly a couple photos popped up, one of his and a blond woman in his car, but he could hardly even see her through the tinted windows. The next photo was of Bruce bent over a small blond woman and Oliver's heart sank, her hair was much longer and he couldn't see her face but he knew it was Chloe. They were locked in a tight embrace and in the next photo she was wrapped tightly around his arm as they walked down the street, a huge grin plastered on her face as she looked up at him.

Something inside of him snapped and the group chatting outside his office heard the crash as he pushed the computer off his desk, watching it break into several pieces. After all this time he had found her, everything inside him was screaming for him to fire up the jet and go get her but this wasn't the Chloe that he had lost, this was a different woman entirely and for the first time since she had vanished he felt hopeless.

Bruce

He couldn't believe how much she had changed him in such a short amount of time. As he looked down at her fast asleep in his bed, his only wish was to stay right there with her. But they'd lit the sky with his signal, and he was needed so he let go of her and slipped out of the bed. Hoping he would be able to return before she knew he had gone.

He hated that she still hadn't felt comfortable enough to tell him her real name. Every time he said it her expression would fall and he would know that there was so much more than what she had so far shared with him. He avoided the topic of family and friends after she had told him about her mother; but he was dying to know more about her, to learn about her childhood and her friends. Luca was a nice enough girl; however she had no more of a connection to the real Anne than he did.

Alfred had been cautious at first, she was a stranger after all and uncharacteristically Bruce had fallen in love with her very quickly. Bruce understood the man's need to protect him; all it had taken to loosen him up were a few evenings with the woman in question to see how wonderful she really was.

They were progressing incredibly slowly on his parent's book and that was the way he wanted it, even though they had been getting very close he had this sinking feeling that when the book was done she would vanish into thin air and after losing Rachel he refused to lose Anne too.

"Be careful Master Wayne," Alfred whispered and if Bruce hadn't heard Alfred mutter those exact words a hundred times before he may have missed them.

Alfred

Alfred was quite, there was no question that he had mastered the art of getting from place to place without being noticed. So when he turned the corner from the main hall to the main staircase and saw Miss Smith seated on the bottom step wrapped in Bruce's housecoat, saying he was startled would have been an understatement.

"He went to work didn't he?" She asked; she was playing with a thread on Bruce's housecoat.

"Just had an errand Miss," Alfred answered but deep down he knew not only what she was talking about but that she had known for quite some time.

"I won't say anything, whether you want to believe it or not I am trustworthy." She spoke the words quietly and he sighed. Alfred took a seat beside her knowing he'd need help up afterwards.

"I believe you," was all he said.

"My name is Chloe Sullivan; I'm from a small town outside of Metropolis called Smallville. Way back when, we had a meteor shower and all of these meteor rocks, well they have the ability to give people abilities. I grew up surrounded by people who were not what they claimed to be." Alfred had known there was something about this girl but his heart was racing as she continued her story.

"After High School I moved to Metropolis where I became involved with a secret organization, you may know it as the Justice League; I believe Batman is a member." She looked up at him and right into his eyes and he knew that he'd been caught.

"I swear I won't say anything Alfred, but I need you to do me a favor," he looked at her almost afraid of the request because he knew he would do anything she asked.

"Don't tell Bruce that I know, I'm tired of finding these things out myself. I want him to tell me, I want it to be his choice," Alfred was once again surprised by the girl in front of him. He took one look at the expression of hope in her face and understood that she loved his Bruce very much. And as he thought about what she had just told him the fact that she had worked for the Justice League registered with him, his admiration for her overwhelmed him and the need to keep Bruce safe suddenly transferred to this young woman.

"Would you like some tea Miss Sullivan?"

"I would love some tea," her shoulders fell and he knew that things were going to get very interesting.

Please review, if you like it or you're questioning it just review….. Thank you!


	8. Colour

A/N – A little bit of awkward tension is always key….oh and by the way, it's not quite M but the rating increases a bit in this chapter.

Chloe

The dress was exquisite, far nicer than anything she had ever worn before and anything she had ever thought she would wear. She was sure that all Bruce had been thinking when he had selected the lush olive color was that it would bring out her eyes, but Chloe hadn't worn green, in any shade for six years.

Her fingers fell to the soft material that would be gathered around her hips and she signed at the feel of the silk. She had to pull herself away from the dress her heart hammering wildly as she thought about the moment she'd have to actually put it on. She looked up and couldn't help examining her reflection in the mirror. Just under two months ago she had come to Gotham with a tired nervous mentality, she'd been cautious and now that she thought about it she had been unhappy. When she looked in to the mirror now, she could hardly recognize herself. Gone were the dark circles around her eyes, circles that had made their presence known long before she had done her disappearing act. Her complexion was pale and soft no thanks to the day at the spa that Bruce had provided her before the big evening; and her hair was tied in an elegant knot at the side of her neck, blond curls spilling over her shoulder. The hair stylist had wrapped and thin olive ribbon over her head and through the knot, it would match the dress perfectly and the entire effect made her feel more than a little whimsy.

She looked back at the green dress hanging against the bathroom door of her hotel room and though she was trilled for Bruce's achievements with Wayne industries and flattered that he would invite her to his celebration, putting on that dress would prove the most difficult thing she'd had to do in a very long time.

Flashback

"Dance with me side kick," he whispered and before she really had a chance to question it his arms were around her waist and he was spinning her quickly around the room. She would have been shocked to know that he could dance had she not seen his every record of his childhood that existed, and his mother had taken care to ensure her baby would be able to comfortably move around a dance floor.

Problem was, Chloe herself had never really learned; so as he spun her about the room all she could do was follow and trust that he wouldn't spin her into a wall; if there was one thing that Chloe could say about Oliver was that he was trustworthy.

The music which she had only now noticed was playing slowed and he pulled her closer, his lips finding their way to that sweet spot behind her neck as his fingers began to massage the skin that escaped between her black pencil skirt and her green blouse.

"I love it when you wear green," he mumbled, "it feels like you're wearing my color." His voice was soft and hard at the same time and knowing what he was capable of doing with that mouth made her knees weak.

"Maybe that was the idea," she sighed and her warm breath hitting his ear caused him to once again tighten his grip on her if that was at all possible.

Her teeth closed over the lobe of his ear biting just enough to earn a groan, "Oliver?" she questioned coyly and he moaned again, knowing that when Chloe got coy things got really fun.

"Yes," he mumbled still playing with her neck and collarbone.

"This isn't the only article of clothing on me that's green," she smiled as she pulled back from him and walking backwards she began to un-button the blouse, popping each button incredibly slowly. Oliver leaned back against the counter, his hands grabbing hold and not letting go, he loved it when she was confidant. She had so many reasons to be confidant and yet he saw the feeling reflected in her demeanor far too infrequently.

The blouse fell open and the pale green lace concealed just enough to keep his imagination going; Chloe ran her hands over her stomach pausing briefly to pinch her nipples, her eyes never leaving his as she moved them back down her body around her waist to unzip her skirt. She bent forward helping the tight skirt over her hips and revealing the matching panties. She stood up again and stepped out of the skirt and when her eyes met his she could tell that he was just barely holding on to his control.

Oliver was in actual physical pain as he watched her step out of the skirt, those fuck me pumps strapped tightly around tiny ankles the green panties and green blouse carelessly hanging from her shoulders, she was a vision in green and he couldn't stand it.

Just when he thought she'd finished her torture; her lips split into a wide grin and let one eye close in a wink that begged him to take her, so he did.

"Aaaahh," Chloe laughed as he pushed off from the counter and threw her over his shoulder in one easy motion. As much as she'd wanted she knew that Oliver would inevitably win this round.

Chloe

The dress fit her like it had been made specifically for her, which now that she thought about it probably had. The material fell off her body hitting every curve perfectly and she kept having to look down to make sure she was still wearing it. As she stepped out of the elevator she could feel all the people in the hotel lobby staring and for a moment she felt panic rise within her as she imagined the worst, that maybe the dress had torn on the way down or a nasty stain had somehow made its way to the front.

"Holy shit, you look so hot…" Luca cried forgetting her clients at reception. Chloe's cheeks turned pink at the public display and she cleared her throat sending Luca an evil eye at the same time.

"I'll see you later Luca," she mumbled as she walked past the reception desk to the revolving doors at the front but she froze when she saw Bruce. He was frozen in place himslef beside the doors and the look in his eyes was enough to make her want to say screw the event let's go back up to my room.

"You look…" but he obviously couldn't think of an adequate adjective because he ended the sentence with a hungry smile. Chloe would have giggled had she not been able to read the possession in his look. For the first time since she had realized his secret she truly believed that he was the masked vigilante hunting the streets every night.

"Thank-you," she winked coyly at him and then giggled when he slipped his hands around her hips, his mouth found its favorite place just below her ear and he whispered;

"You should be very careful this evening I may not be able to control myself…" his lips then dipped down to meet hers and though the kiss was short she could feel his desire in the way he held her close and the pressure he put on her lips.

Before she knew it she was being whisked out the doors and into Bruce's town car. They pulled up in front of Wayne Towers and Chloe could hardly believe all the media about, it was ridiculous the amount of people that lined the steps, her heart quickened, she had been reckless with her identity since coming to Gotham but this was pure stupidity it was like begging him to find her; and as she stepped out of the vehicle she didn't know how she knew it but she knew that he was going to find her, and the thought excited her more than she cared to admit.

Bruce's hand came down to rest on her lower back as he guided her up the stairs, stopping every now and then to allow the media to snap half a dozen photos. Her stomach was in knots, her palms were sweating and she was desperate for a drink, and though Bruce's presence was usually so comforting his ease and excitement to show her off was only serving to make her that much more nervous.

They walked into the large convention room that Bruce's staff had transformed into a luxury ball room complete with stage and dance floor. There was a live band playing and the most wealthy people in the world had all come to celebrate with Bruce Wayne.

A slow song filled the room and as custom dictated the host pulled his date to the floor, when she felt his arms slide around her waist in the slightly high school fashion she couldn't help picturing the way Oliver had swept her easily about the room; but there was something in the simple way that Bruce held her that tugged on her heart.

His hand slid up to grab hold of her neck and he tilted her up to meet his eyes, "Have I told you how unbelievably stunning you look tonight," he whispered and when he smiled at the blush that blossomed on her pale cheeks she was completely lost in him. All of a sudden none of it mattered, her past, his past, she was done caring about what had happened before that moment.

"Several times already, but I don't think I've mentioned how breathtaking a dark man in a dark suit can be," her smile was so wide she couldn't keep her teeth from showing. He dipped down to kiss her again and then as the papers would later print would uncharacteristically blow a small raspberry on her bare shoulder. Chloe laughed outright at his antics and tightened her arms around his shoulders, her head found its place on his broad chest and they settled comfortably into the dance.

As the music came to an end and they exited the dance floor a shiver ran up her spine, her eyes leapt over the crowed searching once again for the man she was sure that feeling had come from and praying it would be a mistake; that he wouldn't really be there. Just when she was starting to relax it was Bruce's voice that sent her heart straight to her stomach.

"Oliver! This is the girl I was telling you about, Anne this is Oliver Queen, Oliver my girlfriend Anne Smith," Chloe could have sworn her heart was trying to break out of her ribcage as she looked up into his eyes.

Six years, six years of running and pretending, pretending that she hadn't loved him, that what they'd shared had been nothing more than random acts of pleasure, pretending that running away had been to get a life for herself and not to get away from the feelings he was creating within her. Now she was staring into everything that she had told herself hadn't existed and she knew that it'd been a lie, she had been lying to herself from the moment that Oliver had kissed her because they had never really been casual.

Just when she thought she was going to either burst into tears or run away, Bruce tightened his grip on her waist and placed a soft kiss on her temple. Her eyes snapped up to him and she forced a smile.

In that moment she knew after six years she was still in love with Oliver Queen; and she had fallen in love with Bruce Wayne in a matter of months. She loved, with all of her heart, two very different and yet very similar men.

A/N - To be honest with you guys I'm not even sure who she'll pick….please keep reviewing!


	9. Love, Pain the whole damn thing

A/N – I'm sorry for the dilemma I've caused so many of you, believe me I've dug myself into a deeper hole with it. I think I might wait and see this week's episode of Smallville; you know see Oliver and Chloe's chemistry on the show and decide from there…I know where the fic is going I just don't know who she'll pick….

Bruce

He'd known the second he had spotted the dress that she would look beautiful but he hadn't expected for her to be quite so intoxicating. Everything from the way she smiled at him to the way she smelled made him want to forget the function and skip right ahead to the part where he got to take her slightly tipsy back to his room. But the excitement of getting to show her off, the first girl he had been this serious about since Rachel; kept him oncourse.

For some reason, the camera's had freaked her out so when he'd pulled her onto the dance floor he'd been expecting the hesitation, what he hadn't expected was the way she seemed to lean completely into him as if for support. She was upset, sometime between getting into the car and getting out of it something had happened to throw her off and it was making him nervous.

Then when he had attempted to lighten her mood, to introduce her to Oliver it had been anything but light. At first he'd thought that she recognized him from his playboy years or that maybe they'd met in passing some time; but later in the evening when Oliver pulled her onto the dance floor, the way they looked at each other, the guilt in her eyes made him feel sick. He knew those looks, he'd shared them with Rachel, and you didn't look at someone like that unless you had a past with them.

His heart plummeted in his chest as a conversation with Dinah back at head quarters flew through his mind. Anger and confusion swept over him as he watched them dance and when despair began to inch its way closer she ended the dance instantly searching for him.

"Can we go? The speeches are done; you've spoken to everyone haven't you? I know it's selfish but I need to leave?" She was pleading with him and he couldn't refuse her. So he collected their jackets and they slipped out the back doors, his eyes falling on those of Oliver's just as the door shut behind her.

The ride to his place was silent neither of them wanting to acknowledge what they'd witnessed/done in that ballroom. The car stopped in front of Wayne Manor and she was out of the car and marching up the steps so quickly that he had to run to catch up to her.

The door flew open and Alfred stood there a giant smile on his elderly face, "Miss Smith, you look absolutely lovely," he exclaimed as she blew past him.

"Thank you Alfred," pausing only for a second on her way to Bruce's room to smile at the man, Alfred's hand came out to stop Bruce, and when Bruce looked down at the man that was really his only family he understood first that his butler already knew her secret and second that he should be careful with the girl.

He walked into his bedroom and shut the door behind him, she was pacing the floor by his window, back and forth and he didn't think he'd ever seen her quite so worked up. The thought made him even more nervous about the possible relationship she may have had with Oliver Queen. If she was who he thought she was then he was also in trouble because there was no way she hadn't figured out his secret coming from that background.

"What's going on?" He asked and when she stopped pacing and turned to look at him finally really looking at him, he could see the tears she was holding back and the quiver of her lips she was just barely hanging on. Then almost as if she was pushed forwards into him her lips were covering his in a heated desperate kiss. Her fingers were undoing his waist coat even before he'd really realized what was going on.

He knew they shouldn't be doing this, that what they both should have been doing was sitting down and talking about everything but he'd seen her and Oliver together and if this was the last time he would get to be with her than he was going to be week and he was going to prove to her that he loved her more than anyone ever could.

***

She'd attempted to fall asleep almost right after and he wondered if she was trying to prolong the inevitable. His hand slid up her side resting just above her hip as he kissed his way up her back. When she arched her back closer to him he knew that sleep had eluded her. His heart was racing as he asked the question, not sure if he really wanted to know the answer. What would he do with it anyways; no one in the league had given him watchtowers real name? Could he go on ignoring what he was pretty sure was the truth? But he knew he couldn't he was already hated the fact that he didn't know her completely, this would only serve to create a larger gap between them.

"What is your name?" the words were muttered barely above a whisper but she heard them and she froze. After what felt like an eternity she seemed to crumble within herself and the softest sound escaped her lips.

"Chloe,"

Chloe, he rolled the name around on his tongue, picturing the early days of their relationship, her laughing at the aquarium, and their first kiss by the archives that day and he realized just how badly Anne had suited her. Chloe…Chloe Sullivan, and suddenly he realized that he had heard the name at headquarters. AC had been groaning about an upcoming mission complaining that things never would have been so chaotic had Chloe been there. Then Bart had stepped in; the most unhappy expression on his face that Bruce had ever seen. 'Well Chloe Sullivan wasn't there was she and they were just going to have to deal with it' If it had been anyone else who'd muttered the words he may have forgotten them but it had been Bart, a boy who was always positive.

As he connected the dots with her name the other pieces fell into place as well, and he was pretty damn sure she knew his secret.

"Bruce," she mumbled his name her hand cupping his cheek, he pulled away instantly moving to the end of the bed and allowing his head to fall into his hands. His mind was racing but he could still feel the dip in the bed as she rose on her knees and wrapped her small arms around his body.

"How long have you known, about Batman?" he was taking a chance on her, because if she didn't already know she soon would.

"For a very long time," she whispered, "That day that you kissed me, I'd pieced it together that morning in the archives and all of the late night trips confirmed it…but I've had experience with men who are plagued with the task of saving the world. You could have fooled a girl who hadn't already been a part of that world." She placed a kiss on the scar above his shoulder blade and he sighed.

"So you are their watchtower?"He established and there was a deep silence before she answered.

"Watchtower consumed every part of me, it was _all_ I was. I'm not that girl anymore and I don't want to be," hope drifted in at her words. Had she chosen him or was she just saying that she didn't want her old job back.

"And Oliver?" her body tightened at his boss's name

"Oliver is, Oliver was a part of that girl, a part of this one but he's not who I'm with now." She moved around him in order to straddle his waist, placing small kisses along his collar bone until she reached his lips.

"I don't know how to explain this to you, but even though I never told you my name or shared stories of my childhood. You understand me in a way that no one ever has, you're the first person who's ever loved me for just being me and I love you. I love you Bruce so much that even the idea of waking up without you makes me feel ill. I love you." She whispered and Bruce could feel the air slipping from him, she loved him and that was really all that mattered.

****

He watched her all night, in the green dress spinning around the dance floor as if she owned the room. She looked beautiful anyone could see that but with enough money anything was possible. He'd questioned her attachment when Queen had shown up but she'd gone back to him right after and they'd left together. His mind was made up and he was tired of waiting, he wanted his revenge and he was ready to claim it. Everything was ready, the girl was in place and he'd made the call; it would only be minutes before he would show up to save the day.

As if on cue, he watched Bruce Wayne run out of the shadows, he hadn't even bothered to put the costume on.

"Luca, where are you? Luca!" he called and she came around the corner her pretty face bruised and bloodied, he'd enjoyed that part of the game.

"Oh my god Luca what happened?" His arms went out to hold her up, "Come on, she's back at my place and worried sick." Bruce began to lead her away when the shot rang out around them. It was only a tranquilizer but it did the trick and Bruce hit the ground almost instantly and the idiots he'd hired to move the body were already doing their job.

He wondered how long it would take her to go back to the league and he laughed. If he could destroy her life and out the super hero organization at the same time all the better.

A/N – I know that it seems like I've chosen Chruce but don't give up on me Chlollie fans...there is more to come…please review…


	10. Demons

A/N – Alright I know where this is going and I know exactly who she's going to pick and how this is going to end

She was happy, happy and peaceful. For the first time in as long as she could remember her life was as close to perfect as it could get. Having their secrets out in the open had created the most incredible sense of freedom. He could jet off into the night without lies and deceit and she could finally just be herself with him.

The morning after the benefit every paper in Gotham had her picture on it and for the first time she realized how Lana had felt during her brief stint at Mrs. Luther. Every where she went in the city she was followed by people taking her picture and calling out to her. Some of the things that people would yell blew her mind, they called her another one of his sluts and threw garbage at her, others lavished her with praise asking her where she got her coat and who had made the dress she'd worn, it was all so radically different from the life that she had been living hidden away that she was nearly always buzzing with energy.

One of the key things that she had come to realize since her and Bruce had "come out" was that deep down she was not this introverted dark person, Chloe Sullivan liked people, she enjoyed laughing and playing and having fun and she was sick and tired of denying herself.

The past week had been filled with all of the things in her life that made her happy, she had gone for lunch with Luca, she had helped Alfred upgrade the security system in the Batcave; The Batcave there was no way any of her superhero friends had anything as cool as the Batcave. As for her super hero friends she hadn't heard from a single one of them, she was sure that Oliver would have given up her whereabouts, and had he not, had he decided to keep them a secret someone would have spotted her in the paper or on the internet. But there was nothing, not a phone call or even a blast of cool air from a speedy man just running past to check up on her. Clark hadn't even shown up, not even Clark Kent. She suddenly wondered whether Lois had seen the headlines. She was pretty sure that if Lois had seen the headlines there would be one angry reporter on her doorstep.

"Chloe," She looked up from the computer where she had once again stated working on Bruce's novel, he had attempted to convince her that she didn't have to finish it but she hated starting a project and not finishing it.

"Hey," she smiled as Bruce walked in he was clad in his training gear and the muscle shirt did just what it was made to do, her eyes fixed on his strong arms and broad shoulders as he leaned down for a kiss.

"You wanna come work out with me?" he had an excited grin spread across his dark face and the contradiction made her heart twitch.

They had started a bit of a routine, when she had come clean about her previous life, about running the League and growing up with superman; he'd been shocked that no one had taught her how to defend herself. She was the prime target the ultimate key to half of the world's most powerful vigilante's.

She had neglected to mention that Oliver had begun teaching her the bow and several other defensive skills right before she'd snuck out.

"Sure, just give me fifteen to finish this up." She forced the smile, since seeing him at that benefit she had been plagued with memories of them together. As much as she knew she was supposed to be with Bruce there was a part of her that couldn't stop thinking about the man in green.

Bruce fell into the chair beside her desk his knees bouncing up and down in anxious excitement. He loved working out with her, training her. He pretty much loved doing anything with her, but he really loved training, she was such a smart fighter not wasting energy on kicks and swings that wouldn't hit the other person. She fought like she lived her life, calculating every move until she knew every single one of her opponent's weaknesses.

"Alright let's go," she closed the lap top and grabbed his hand leading him to the basement. He also loved that training and fighting turned her on better than anything. They would fight for a bit and eventually they would always end up against a wall or on the training bench or even just sprawled out on the mat.

It happened all the time, they'd be right in the thick of things all sweaty and intense and Chloe would lean over just a little bit further, giving herself just a bit more cleavage. Then she would complain about the heat, bug him that it wouldn't really cost that much to put some air conditioning down there and while she was complaining about this she would unzip her training jacket and toss it on the floor then almost a ritual in itself her hands would wander up her body slowly brushing her curls into a high ponytail and before she would even have the elastic out he would have pounced, crushing his lips to hers.

Yes, her life was definitely a lot more fun these days.

***

The call came to Chloe's phone just minutes past midnight; that knowing feeling that she hadn't felt in years digging into her stomach moments before the ringer went.

"Hello," she didn't know how but she knew that whoever was on the other end of that phone, whatever that person had to say it was bad.

"Chloe," her voice was shaking and Chloe could hear the gasps and gurgling of blood as the familiar voice said her name.

"Luca!" she was out of the bed instantly and Bruce's eyes followed her about the room, "Luca what's happened, are you alright?"

"I don't know what happened, I was leaving the hotel on my way home and these guys, they came out of nowhere." Luca was crying and Chloe was desperately trying to calm her nerves.

"I'm coming right now," Chloe cried.

"Don't" Luca yelled into the receiver and instinctively she pulled the phone away from her ear, "You can't Chloe it isn't safe, they could still be here."

"I'm sending Bruce then, please let him come and get you for my sake." Chloe was clutching the phone and even as she was saying the words her gut was telling her that it was a bad idea, her gut was telling her that sending Bruce would be the end of everything. But she sent him anyway because if anyone could help her friend Batman could.

***

Thirteen hours had gone by since she had sent him out, and her mind was racing a hundred different ways.

"Anything yet," she asked as Alfred walked in he had a beige envelope in his hands and his face had lost all of its color, her heart dropped into her stomach. He didn't speak a single word as he handed her the envelope. She opened the top flap and several black and white photos fell out. In the first she could see Bruce and Luca in the next Bruce was on the ground and the last one showed him being lowered into a generic white van. The last thing in the envelope was a piece of paper with the words "My Turn" written in red.

"What are we going to do Miss Sullivan?" Alfred asked Chloe in the state of shock that she was could only think of one thing.

She rose from the bed and made her way to the Bruce's balcony, her fingers wrapped around each doors handle and they flew open behind her, it was bare feet on wet concrete but she couldn't even feel it.

"Clark," she whispered "If you can hear me I need you. Please," her voice raised as the tears began to fall and the panic set it, "CLARK!" she screamed and right when she thought she wasn't going to be able to keep herself upright, his familiar whoosh and those strong hands kept her upright.

A/N - I'm going on holidays tomorrow so I won't be able to update for about a week. But it'll give me tons of time to write a bunch of chapters, PLEASE REVIEW.


	11. The League

**A/N – Hello everyone, I am so sorry that this has taken so long. I was stumped with how to continue or where to go and then my life got really busy and all of a sudden it had been months since I had updated. I am determined to stick with this story to the end but I can't promise I'll be updating as quickly as I was at first. **

Oliver

She was a mess; there were no two ways about it. Her eyes were dark with worry and anger and a little of that old passionate intensity he had loved so much. Her hair fell over her shoulders in a mass of curls and tangles and to top it off she was in sweats. He couldn't remember a time when he had ever seen her in something so casual.

She was clinging to him like a lifeline, like he was the only thing keeping her from taking a dive off the side of the building and it made him uncomfortable to realize that he was jealous of the man that had for so long been her best friend in the world.

Oliver cleared his throat making his presence known and instantly he saw her attempt to collect herself; of all the people in the universe he'd never thought she would feel awkward and self conscious around him. Her eyes met his and he could more clearly see the pain in them, he felt almost a little guilty at having come that night, he didn't know what was now going on but he did know that the chance it had to do with him was pretty high.

The lack of communication from Bruce since the benefit had been a plenty big enough clue that he'd figured out just who his little Anne truly was.

"Oliver its Bruce, he's been taken and someone is threatening Chloe," it was Clark who spoke and he could see the shudder of fear that escaped Chloe as Batman's name was mentioned.

"How is that possible? He's…"

"He wasn't in costume," Chloe spoke up quickly she was actively trying to control the tears and if Oliver was reading her correctly which he was pretty sure he was, the guilt as well.

"We got a call from Luca, she's a friend of mine she works at the hotel I was staying at and she was in trouble. Gotham is so dangerous at night. She got mugged and without thinking I told her I would send Bruce…"

"So he couldn't go in costume without getting caught," Clark answered Oliver was still watching her, couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"Right," she lowered her gaze from his and he felt the loss instantly.

"Here is the envelope the kidnapper left her," Clark handed it to Oliver; "I think we should call the team in, this is Bruce he's one of us and he needs our help." Clark's voice left no room for discussion and besides that Oliver wouldn't have been able to disagree no matter who got the girl, Bruce was a member of the league.

He looked back at Chloe and saw the pure determination in her eyes, there was no way she was going to not be a part of this mission.

"You a part of this Chloe?" There was a sparkle of indecisiveness and then she seemed to realize who she was and a look that he hadn't seen in six years filled her face.

"Damn right I am,"

* * *

Chloe

Her heart was slamming itself against her ribcage as she took her place behind the control station in the new headquarters. She had to admit she was quite impressed with the new technology Oliver had accumulated, she had briefly asked how they had been managing things from Headquarters and he had just as briefly replied that they make do. Since from what she could tell they hadn't hired anyone to play watchtower she assumed they shared the responsibilities.

Oliver had slipped into his office for a moment and come back out with a notebook that was very nearly on its last legs. He set it down in front of her and she couldn't help thinking how 1990's of them to keep their passwords and key codes in a notebook.

"Do you need anything else to you know get started?" He was nervous and he was keeping his distance from her which was probably a good thing because being close to Oliver was the last thing she needed to be thinking of.

"No, I just need a couple minutes with the video feed of that alley and I should be able to at least get the make of the vehicle. If I can find out who owns the car maybe I can track down the kidnapper."

"It has to be someone who knows you Chloe look at the message."

"There aren't many people who know how closely you were linked with the league." Chloe could feel the anger inside of her building she was so tired of all this crap, she was tired of being the victim and she was tired of always looking over her shoulder.

"What makes you think this has anything to do with the league…for all we know this could be about Bruce lord knows he's wealthy enough and he's certainly controversial. There are a lot of people in Gotham who would love it if The Wayne's disappeared." She kept her voice hard. Determined. Logically she knew that the note was designed for her and not Bruce but she was angry and frustrated and right now Oliver was the one who would bare the brunt of it.

Chloe could feel Oliver stiffen behind her, and right when he was about to speak the double doors to the control room opened and Bart ran in followed by a stream of superheroes some fully masked being cautious with the member that had only been lore to them; some of them smiles of pure excitement splashed across their unmasked faces.

"Chloe-liscious!" Bart hugged her tight, "I'm lovin' the long hair you look smokin'" he smiled and she forced a grin. Despite the reasons for her sudden return to the league she was happy to see him again. She watched as AC and Victor entered the room cautious smiles spread across their faces, and then she saw Dinah. Dinah had been her only female friend that knew about everything, the only girl other than Lana that had a full grasp on what it meant to love a man who could never be fully yours.

Dinah had loved Oliver for years, even before Chloe and he had started up. They had the both of them acted like it wasn't the case when Chloe and Oliver had hooked up. But Chloe fully understood that her friend had always carried a torch for Oliver Queen, so when she saw Dinah's eyes instantly search out Oliver she understood the feelings' behind it.

Chloe heard the computer buzz as it continued to search for the maker of the vehicle and the car's owner.

She looked up at Oliver and saw him force a smile in Dinah's direction as if telling her that he was fine, Chloe instantly wondered if anything had happened between them in the 6 years that she had been MIA. Instantly she felt her heart tighten, not out of fear that they had but because for the first time she was beginning to realize that it didn't hurt the way it always had before when she thought of Oliver with someone else.

"So what have you got for us sidekick?" Ac asked and the room froze, everyone looking between Chloe and Oliver.

"Sorry," AC instantly whispered.

"You have nothing to apologize for, that's my nickname isn't it." Chloe plastered on another smile and then looked down at her computer, the search had finished.

She looked down at the screen and froze

"Shit, this is worse than we thought…." She looked up and her eyes met Clarks and then Oliver's and both men moved swiftly around the desk.

"That's not possible,"

"There is no way…"

"He's dead!"

**Thanks so much for the continued support with this story…I'll update again shortly, I know exactly where I'm going with this now and how it will end. **


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